


Happy Endings

by Ultra



Category: White Collar
Genre: Bedtime Stories, F/M, Family Fluff, Friendship/Love, Gen, Happy Ending, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 09:35:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4823960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultra/pseuds/Ultra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everybody deserves a happy ending, whether they believe it or not.</p>
<p>(Post-series AU, in which Neal didn't 'die' and got to stay in NYC)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Endings

**Author's Note:**

> Written for runthecon at Livejournal, prompt: happy endings

“Once upon a time, there was a boy who was locked up in a dungeon for the things he did wrong. It wasn't that the boy didn't know what he was doing was bad. He knew it would get him into trouble, but maybe that was why he did it in the first place. All the boy knew was that he was happy with the life he was living. Happy to be a person that the world saw as bad, because it was the only world he knew, a world that he loved.

One day, a man came to see the boy. He was very smart and kind, and he decided that instead of punishing the boy for what he had done, he would help him. He would give him a job to do that was useful and good, that would teach the boy a new way to be happy.

The job was fun and interesting. The boy never tired of the adventures he could have with the kindly man. They were the best of friends, and in time, they became family. There were more than just those two in the family. There was the man's beautiful wife, and the boy's funny friend. There were the people they worked with, and at one time there was even a woman that... Well, that doesn't matter now. The point is, the boy built a new life and he found a new kind of happiness. He learnt to be good, and learnt what it was to be loved. He grew up to be a very lucky man, and though he no longer had expensive art on his walls, or drove the fanciest car, he was a richest of all men, because he had that love and happiness in his life.”

Neal Caffrey looked down at his little namesake as he completed his story. Baby Burke was fast asleep now, his thumb firmly stuck in his mouth and his breathing soft and even. Neal smiled at the sight, kissing his own hand and gently touching the little one's head. He left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar and headed downstairs, surprised to find El in tears on the couch with Peter's arm around her.

“What happened?” he asked worriedly.

“Nothing,” said Elizabeth, wiping one cheek dry with her hand. “I'm fine,” she promised, forcing a smile.

Neal knew that was a lie, it would be a foolish man who couldn't tell. He looked to Peter for an explanation and watched his friend's eyes glance to the coffee table. There sat the baby monitor, they had heard every word.

With a sigh, Neal stepped off the bottom step and came to join his friends in the living room.

“I'm sorry, El,” he told her, producing a handkerchief for her use.

“It's fine,” she assured him, dabbing at her eyes. “Honestly, it's not like you were trying to make me cry. You didn't even know we could hear you, and I'm glad you're happy now, Neal, it's just... It was such a beautiful story. I probably would've cried even if I hadn't known it was real,” she admitted.

Peter hugged his wife closer and kissed the top of her head. He was glad to hear a burst of laughter break through El's tears. She felt so silly for getting so emotional, but he well understood. Honestly, he had to force back a tear or two himself as he heard Neal talking to the baby.

“I'm only glad we were able to help get your life on track,” he told Neal then. “And only sorry that... well, I'm guessing the part you tried to skim over was Sara?”

“After everything I did before, I guess there had to be at least one hole in my happy ending,” said Neal, trying for a smile but it didn't really come out.

“For what it's worth, I think you deserved the whole package,” said Peter kindly.

Neal nodded his thanks and then got up from the chair before he too easily joined El in tears. Picking up his wine glass from the table, he downed the last drop and then reached for his jacket.

“Time I was heading home,” he said.

Elizabeth got up to hug Neal and bid him farewell. He didn't ask why she held him extra tight today, just squeezed her back, kissed her cheek and told her what a wonderful mother she was. They both knew he wasn't just talking about how she took care of her baby.

Neal shook hands with Peter, then put on his hat and headed for home. The cold New York air didn't bother him at all. The warmth of his family's love carried him home safe and cosy. By the time he got there he was quite ready to crawl into bed and be done with today. A presence in his apartment, which he felt the second he got to the door, had him awake and alert in a second.

Warily, Neal opened up the door, looking around for any possible threat. It was a hell of a shock when the figure in red turned around to face him and smiled.

“Sara?”

“Hello, Caffrey,” she said. “Surprise?”

There was no reply he could give to her, nothing Neal could think to say would do this moment justice. Instead he used actions that always spoke louder than words, moving towards her, pulling her into his arms and kissing her breathless. Sara didn't object for a moment. This was the welcome home she had only dared to dream she might get from the man she had never stopped loving.

Hours later, with Sara asleep by his side, Neal would recall the tale he told to another as they slumbered in his presence. He smiled as he thought of the story and the conversation after about the hole in his happy ending. Now that gap in his future was filled, with more joy than he could ever truly deserve. Neal was smiling as his finger lightly traced over Sara's hair and down her arm. Moving down under the covers and putting his arm around the only woman he could ever love quite like this. In a soft voice, he spoke to no-one in particular.

“And they all lived happily ever after.”


End file.
